Boral Roofing
LLC is pleased to announce it has opened a
new Design Center in Winter Park, Florida. The new facility will showcase Boral
Roofing’s full range of durable and sustainable roofing solutions, which
encompass Concrete, Clay, Boral Steel’s Stone-Coated Steel and Inspire
Composite systems. A wide array of colors and profiles comprise the onsite
displays, emphasizing the vast options available within the product lines to complement
varying homes, structures and architectural styles.

Located in prestigious Winter Park,
just minutes north of Orlando’s numerous attractions, the Design Center will
cater to builders, contractors, architects and remodelers within the residential
and commercial real estate sectors, as well as to owners. In addition to the
product displays, the Design Center will also host continuing education courses
for architects and professionals in the region, providing AIA CEU course
credits. Product training learning sessions will also be held at the new
facility.

The Design Center is officially open Monday through Sunday, by
appointment only. The showroom is located at 2250 Lee Road, Suite 80. To visit
the center, please call 863.229.9283.

The custom home in Durham, North Carolina features a standing seam metal roof, a balcony, a roof deck and a garden roof. The carport roof is made from solar panels. Photo: David Solow.

When Alison Trott purchased a vacant corner lot in the historic Cleveland-Holloway neighborhood in Durham, North Carolina, she wanted to use the space to construct her dream home. She wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted, but she had several priorities in mind. “When I built the house, I wanted to try and focus on sustainability as much as possible,” says Trott. “I wanted to try to focus on green building, and I wanted to try to utilize local resources as much as possible — local materials, local builders, local companies, and local craftsmen.”

She worked with a talented team of design and construction professionals to bring her vision to life, and the sustainable roof systems on the home became a crowning focus of the project.

At some point in the design process, the architect mentioned the possibility of incorporating a garden roof, and Trott jumped at the idea. “I said, ‘I want that!’” Trott recalls. “I was very excited about the idea, but I’d only seen green roofs on large commercial projects.”

The Lead Architect

Tina Govan, now principal of Somos Design, located in Raleigh, North Carolina, hit it off with Alison Trott right away. The two worked together on the design for several years, inviting CUBE design + research, an architecture firm in nearby Chapel Hill, to collaborate on the project.

The goals included constructing a modern home that would blend in with the historic neighborhood. The house was also designed to be part of the natural landscape. A key priority was saving two large oak trees on the property. “We wrapped the house around the trees,” notes Govan. “That way the house bends to nature.”

The key themes of the overall design are exemplified by the roof systems. The house features a metal gable roof with a balcony at one end, echoing historic homes in the area. The 950-square-foot garden roof was installed over the master wing of the house, and the roof of the carport was constructed from solar panels.

“It’s a very green house,” Govan notes. “Solar panels over the carport take care of most of the energy needs of the home. The green roof replaces what was disturbed — the ground below — and brings it up. The green roof blends well with the landscape, and with it the house doesn’t seem as big.”

The green roof is visible from many parts of the house, including the roof deck, which is separated from it by a glass railing. “I love green roofs,” says Govan. “They replace habitat and make building softer. It’s alive. It’s so much more dynamic and rich than any other type of hardscape.”

The Builder

Bob Wuopio is the owner of Form Design/Build LLC, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. The company specializes in one-of-a-kind, complex projects, so this custom house was right up its alley. “We love unique projects,” Wuopio says. “Our preference is to make everything — the doorknobs, the pulls, the lights, the cabinets. We try to fabricate everything. That’s our niche.”

Located on a corner lot in the historic Cleveland-Holloway neighborhood, the modern home was designed to preserve two large trees and wrap around a courtyard to provide privacy. Photo: David Solow.

Numerous custom details throughout the house put the company to the test. For its relatively small footprint — 3,400 square feet — the house has its fair share of different roofing systems. “We have almost every type of roof system on that project,” says Wuopio. “We have a standing seam metal roof on the high gable. We have standing seam metal roof that becomes a metal wall. We have a built-up roof with a floating deck and a glass railing system. There is a green roof over a whole wing of the house.”

Getting the deck and green roof areas sloped perfectly was essential, and that begins with the substructure. “Getting a roof with a slope of 1/8 inch per foot right requires a pretty good framer,” Wuopio notes.

Form Design/Build served as the general contractor on the project, and Wuopio was responsible for scheduling multiple trades at the site. One key concern was making sure that the low-slope roof system wouldn’t be damaged after it was installed. “You don’t want anyone poking holes in it,” says Wuopio. “We spray foamed underneath the deck, so if you did have a small leak, you might not notice it for years, potentially.”

Wuopio knew the roof under the garden roof assembly was crucial. “I knew we needed a bulletproof roof, so I called Jim Pickard. He knew exactly what we needed.”

The Roofing Contractor

James Pickard III is the owner and president of Pickard Roofing Company Inc. in Durham, North Carolina. He represents the third generation of his family to run the business, which is more than 90 years old.

Pickard Roofing handles all types of commercial and residential projects, including historical restoration work. Most of the company’s projects are within 25 miles of the office, including this one, which was just two miles down the road.

The red metal roof is complemented with matching half-round gutters, which incorporate “rain chains” as downspouts. Photo: David Solow.

Crews at the company don’t do as much hot-mop BUR work as they used to, but they still have that club in their bag for below-grade waterproofing projects and garden roof assemblies. For this green roof project, Pickard recommended a coal tar pitch roof system. “We use hot-mopped coal tar pitch in situations where the material is in constant contact with water because the pitch doesn’t degrade,” Pickard notes. “You don’t want to have to take the dirt off of a garden roof and start looking for leaks. You have to do everything you can to make sure nothing can cause problems.”

That includes making sure the deck is secured with screws and not nails, which can back out and damage the roof assembly. Gravel stops should either be copper or stainless steel so they won’t corrode. “The whole idea is permanence,” Pickard says.

The hot-mopped system manufactured by Durapax consists of four plies of tar-coated fiberglass felt, which were set in four layers of coal tar pitch. A fifth layer of pitch was added as a top coat.

Pickard Roofing also installed the metal roof system. Snap Lock panels were custom fabricated in the company’s metal shop from 24-gauge Kynar-coated steel from Firestone Building Products in a wine-red color chosen by the homeowner. A synthetic underlayment, Titanium PSU 30 from InterWrap, was applied to the wooden deck before the panels were secured in place.

“The great thing about the Snap Lock system is there is virtually no fastening through the face of the metal,” Pickard says.

The 950-square-foot green roof covers one wing of the house. Pre-vegetated sedum mats were installed in most of the green roof area, and native plants are also featured in areas with more growing media. Photo: Living Roofs Inc.

“The panels are secured with cleats and clips in the seams.”

Snow guards from Berger Brothers were attached to the seams using non-penetrating screws. Half-round gutters were fabricated from the same metal as the roof and complemented with “rain chains” that serve as downspouts.

Many of the copper details and flashings were custom fabricated on site. “One of our strengths is in our flashing design,” notes Pickard. “The company has a lot of soldering irons. We still use a lot of the old techniques.”

The roofing installations went smoothly. As Pickard Roofing completed the roofs on the home, crews from Southern Energy Management, headquartered in Morrisville, North Carolina, constructed the carport roof from partially transparent solar panels.

“Everyone’s priority was on doing the job right,” Pickard says. “In this case, the emphasis was on the quality, not just the cost. The cost is important, don’t get me wrong, but in this case the budget was increased if there was a product that could do the job better. Ultimately, you have to put the quality where it counts, and that’s why this project worked out so well.”

The Green Roof Installers

Landscape architect Kathryn Blatt Ancaya co-founded Living Roofs Inc. in Asheville, North Carolina, along with her husband, Emilio Ancaya. The company handles all aspects of green roof and living wall projects, including design, installation and long-term maintenance. “Our work ranges from small residential projects to large complex commercial and institutional projects — and of course, everything in between,” she says.

These photos show the roof right after it was installed (left) and after three months of growth. Photos: Living Roofs Inc.

Living Roofs is a certified installer with garden roof system manufacturer Xero Flor America LLC, which is headquartered in Durham. Clayton Rugh, the director of Xero Flor, contacted the Ancayas after Trott and Govan toured the company’s own garden roof. They asked for help designing a version of the company’s lightweight extensive roof system for the project. As Rugh notes, “One of the benefits of the Xero Flor green roof system is its adaptability to nearly any roof situation — load limits down to 10 pounds per square foot, dynamic slope changes between zero and 45 degrees, and compatibility with most commercial waterproofing, including TPO, PVC, modified bitumen and asphaltic BUR assemblies.”

“We collaborated with the architect, Tina Govan, and Xero Flor to design an extensive pre-vegetated green roof with areas of deeper soil to support native grasses and perennials,” Ancaya explains.

The Living Roofs crew installed the Xero Flor XF300 green roof system with growing media depths ranging from 2.5 to 5 inches. After the root barrier was installed over the coal tar pitch roof, it was covered with a drain mat and filter fleece. The growing medium was then lifted into place using a telehandler.

Most of the garden roof area was overlaid with pre-vegetated Xero Flor sedum mats. Plugs of herbaceous plants were inserted in the deeper areas. “The grasses we used were grown by Hoffman Nursery, a local grower, and we used perennials by North Creek Nursery,” Ancaya notes.

The sedum mats are an attractive option because they are fully covered when they are installed, notes Ancaya. “Incorporating the areas of deeper soil also allowed us to create a more dramatic visual effect by contrasting the low-growing Xero Flor mats with taller and more textured plants,” she says.

The green roof installation took less than eight hours over the course of two days. “Kate is the design arm of Living Roofs, and Emilio is the installation arm, and the two of them teamed up on this project to knock it out of the park,” Rugh says.

A Happy Home

Trott enjoyed watching the building process. “I learned a ton,” she says. “I just love watching craftsmen who are passionate about what they do. I had fun out there!”

The home was completed in the spring of 2017, and Trott is thrilled with the result. “It’s better than I even imagined it would be,” she says. “I love it, and my cats love it. In fact, I think they are pretty sure that I did all of this just to entertain them.”

The growth and changing color palette of the rooftop garden has been interesting to watch. “The green roof has been amazing,” she says. “It’s just been one year, but the green roof keeps getting lusher and lusher. Every feature is my favorite feature in the house, but the green roof — I love it. I really do.”

In fact, Trott has become something of a residential green roof ambassador. “I’ve been spreading the word,” she says.

GAF introduces a new non-halogen polyisocyanurate insulation: EnergyGuard NH Polyiso Insulation Board. According to the company, GAF is the first roofing manufacturer to offer a full line of Red List Free roofing assemblies across their asphaltic and single-ply product lines.

The development of EnergyGuard NH Polyiso Insulation Board demonstrates the GAF commitment to providing architects, contractors, and building owners with affordable products that help them meet their sustainable and environmental design goals, by offering products that do not contain halogenated compounds.

As with their current EnergyGuard Polyiso Insulation, this product line offers high insulating values to help save on energy costs and is available in a variety of thicknesses. Because of its lightweight, this material is easy to handle on the jobsite and installs fast. Easy cutting in the field provides the installer with simple fabricating on the roof deck.

The Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) and NSF International have created a product category rule (PCR) for roof coating materials. PCRs enable product environmental information to be more transparent and useful to the marketplace. Products covered in this PCR include fluid-applied and adhered coatings used for roof maintenance or roof repair, or as a component of a roof covering system or roof assembly.

Based on international environmental management guidelines (ISO 14025), a PCR defines how to conduct a life cycle assessment for a particular product group and what to include in the resulting report. A life-cycle assessment measures inputs, outputs and environmental impacts of a product across its lifespan. The environmental product declaration (EPD) is the third-party-verified report that explains the data generated from a life cycle assessment. What is included in the EPD is also defined by the PCR.

The NSF International National Center for Sustainability Standards (NCSS) utilized an open consultative process to develop the PCR with participation from an expert panel of RCMA members, suppliers, regulatory agencies, environmental organizations and end users. RCMA promotes the benefits of roof coatings and represents manufacturers of asphaltic and solar reflective roof coatings as well as suppliers to the roof coatings industry.

“This product category rule developed by RCMA and NSF International provides our industry a needed guideline for calculating and reporting the environmental attributes of roof coatings,” says Jim Kirby, executive director of RCMA. “The subsequent life cycle analyses developed by our members using the PCR can provide a basis for improvement to enable reductions in environmental impacts over time. We look forward to the positive impact this will have on the industry and those seeking more sustainable building products.”

“As a manufacturer participating in the PCR development, we support our industry in providing transparent and science-based information to our customers,” says Douglas P. Mazeffa, environmental project manager at Sherwin Williams. “Our company is committed to helping customers make informed, environmentally-based purchasing decisions.”

“Industries benefit from NSF International’s standards development process that was used to develop the PCR for roof coating materials,” states Jessica Slomka, manager of the NSF International National Center for Sustainability Standards. “By engaging RCMA members and other stakeholders, we help ensure the environmental impacts in the life cycle of a product are represented. The result is a defined set of rules that enable comparative data to be gathered and reported in a standardized fashion. This is crucial in helping builder’s source products that meet their environmental goals.”

Verified environmental product declarations (EPDs) as defined by this PCR may help building projects qualify for points through the LEED v4 Material and Resource credits and comply with the International Green Construction Code (IgCC).

ATAS International hosted members of the Society of American Registered Architects during their 60th anniversary conference in Arizona. Over 35 SARA members attended an educational presentation and toured ATAS’ manufacturing facility in Mesa, earning learning units for both activities. David Srokose, architectural business development manager at ATAS, presented on sustainable building envelopes, and Dick Bus, president of ATAS, led the plant tour, which was followed by lunch for the guests.

During the educational presentation, attendees learned how metal cladding on roofs and walls can contribute to green building objectives, and how metal walls can use sunlight to provide a building with solar air heating. Cool roof technologies, including UV reflective pigments and above sheathing ventilation, were discussed, as well as how metal roofing can provide a solar ready platform for photovoltaic systems.

Dick Bus states, “We were pleased to welcome the SARA members to our Mesa, Ariz., facility while they were in the area for their annual conference. The plant tour allowed our guests to view the equipment and processes used to fabricate metal components for the building envelope. All attendees were invited to visit our Allentown, Pa., headquarters, if they are ever in the area.”

Professor Daniel G. Nocera, the Patterson Rockwood Professor of Energy at Harvard University, was the honored speaker at this year’s Axalta Distinguished Lecture Series. Axalta Coating Systems, a supplier of liquid and powder coatings, sponsored the event which was hosted by the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania last week. Professor Nocera’s lecture titled, “A Complete Artificial Photosynthesis,” explained his research that led to the development of an artificial device that converts water and carbon dioxide into biomass and liquid fuels using sunlight.

One of the challenges with using solar energy as a source of electricity is the need for a cost effective method to store the sun’s energy. One example of energy storage is photosynthesis, the process whereby plants and other organisms use sunlight to convert water and carbon dioxide into biomass that can be used later, as needed, as a source of fuel. Professor Nocera has mimicked key aspects of this process by creating an artificial leaf.

“We first invented an artificial leaf that can split water into hydrogen and oxygen using sunlight,” says Professor Nocera. “We then used a bio-engineered bacterium to convert carbon dioxide along with the hydrogen produced from the artificial leaf into biomass and liquid fuels. The hybrid microbial and artificial leaf operate at solar-to-biomass (10.7 percent) and solar-to-fuels (6.2 percent) yields, exceeding the 1 percent yield of natural photosynthesis,” states Professor Nocera.

“At Axalta, we are committed to delivering innovative coatings solutions that protect our customers’ products,” says Dr. Barry Snyder, Axalta senior vice president and chief technology officer. “Our sustainable coating systems benefit stakeholders, including our customers and the communities in which we operate. Professor Nocera’s research has the potential to have an impact by offering a sustainable source of energy. The translation of fundamental research to practical application, as embodied in Professor Nocera’s research, is an element of the collaboration between Axalta and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania.”

“The Axalta Distinguished Lecture Series provides opportunities for our students and faculty members to interact with scholars in the world,” says Gary A. Molander, department chair and Hirschmann-Makineni Professor of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. “This year, we are delighted to have Professor Nocera share his innovations with us. Professor Nocera’s work exemplifies the opportunities that exist to use fundamental science to create technologies that have broad societal benefits. We look forward to continued collaboration with Axalta in the years ahead.”

Duro-Last announces that it has achieved platinum certification under the NSF American National Standard for Sustainable Roofing Membranes, NSF/ANSI 347. Certified by UL, this standard represents that Duro-Last manufactures a product that is third-party verified as sustainable, durable, and high performing. The certification applies to 40, 50 and 60 mil, white, tan, gray and dark gray as well as 50 mil terra cotta Duro-Last membranes.

“Duro-Last was excited to have most of our membrane product lines certified by this third-party standard,” says Jason Tunney, executive vice president and general counsel of Duro-Last. “But we wanted to take it to the next level and achieve the highest rating possible.”

NSF/ANSI 347 was written by NSF International and, according to their website, is based on life-cycle assessment principles. NSF/ANSI 347 employs a point system to evaluate roofing membranes against established prerequisite requirements, performance criteria and quantifiable metrics in five key areas:

Product design

Product manufacturing

Membrane durability

Corporate governance

Innovation

Obtaining this certification will help the Duro-Last membrane meet the market demand for products that comply with green building standards like the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes. Product specifiers and purchasers are under pressure to find products that meet their sustainability criteria, and having the NSF 347 certification can give them the peace of mind of specifying a third-party verified product.

This certification is one more step in Duro-Last’s commitment to sustainability and transparency, coming after the announcement of the publication of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for Duro-Tuff, Duro-Fleece and Duro-Last EV membranes. To read more about Duro-Last’s sustainability efforts, visit here.

“There’s talk in the roofing industry about being ‘green’ and sustainable,” says Katie Chapman, Duro-Last corporate sustainability specialist. “At Duro-Last we want to help people make informed decisions when purchasing roofing products.”

EcoDistricts announces the global launch of the EcoDistricts Protocol, a process-based framework and performance standard that empowers sustainable neighborhood- and district-scale urban development, according to EcoDistricts CEO Rob Bennett.

The launch is the culmination of more than five years of research, development and advisement from more than 100 diverse industry experts and 16 district-scale projects worldwide.

“How we build our cities is the biggest challenge and opportunity of our lifetime. Success hinges on building robust public-private-civic partnerships, aligning leadership, and improving cross-sector collaboration to put people and planet at the center of every urban development decision,” Bennett says.

The protocol is a rigorous sustainable urban development framework designed to achieve vibrant community outcomes. The protocol puts a comprehensive lens on every urban regeneration decision, drives the delivery of meaningful performance outcomes, and sets the conditions for sustainable, collaborative impact.

“We call on visionary city makers and urban development leaders to disrupt the status quo by embracing our new model of urban regeneration,” says Bennett.

The protocol is structured around three core areas:

Three imperatives: Placing social, economic, and environmental sustainability at the center of neighborhood initiatives. These include Equity, Resilience and Climate Protection.

Six priorities: A set of six rigorous goals, 49 objectives and 94 indicators used to scope and define a district’s sustainability agenda. These include: Place, Prosperity, Health + Wellness, Connectivity, Living Infrastructure and Resource Restoration.

Three implementation phases: A framework that sets the conditions for sustained, scalable outcomes that address the protocol’s Imperatives and Priorities and meet the specific needs of the district over time. These phases include Formation, Roadmap and Performance.

“The EcoDistricts Protocol represents an important tool to help city leaders think about sustainability in an integrated way and at a scale that is truly effective, says Joel Mills, senior director, Communities by Design, the American Institute of Architects. “Using the EcoDistricts Protocol, cities can build momentum for scalable change that transforms urban sustainability and positions communities for success in the 21st century.”

Carlisle SynTec Systems has made available its RoofEd eBook for download through iTunes and Google Play.

Carlisle SynTec Systems has made available its RoofEd eBook for download through iTunes and Google Play. The first chapter of RoofEd focuses on EPDM roofing systems and their attributes. RoofEd contains videos, articles, case studies and photos, all of which are designed to give readers a deeper understanding of their commercial roofing system options. RoofEd can also be used as an on-the-road sales tool to help building owners choose the most sustainable, durable and geographically appropriate roof for their buildings.

BASF is driving discussions around sustainable solutions and was the partner sponsor of GLOBE 2016 in Vancouver, B.C.

In the opening plenary event, Wayne T. Smith, CEO of BASF Corp., delivered a keynote address, which underscored how chemistry and collaboration can help solve some of the world’s greatest challenges. The keynote was followed by a live one-on-one interview with Rudyard Griffiths, Anchor, Bloomberg North and Munk Debates Moderator.

“Chemistry plays an important role in developing sustainable technologies to address global challenges,” says Smith. “However, we also recognize that we cannot simply solve big problems on our own. The science we bring is just one part of the equation and equally important is the chemistry between people—such as our customers, the communities we operate in, universities, governments, NGOs and other key stakeholders.”

Throughout the conference, sustainability leaders will participate in lively debates, roundtables and SPARK talks with a goal of catalyzing collaborations that will drive more sustainable solutions. Charlene Wall-Warren, director of Sustainability for BASF in North America, will explain the company’s Sustainable Solution Steering method, which looks at the entire value chain to assess the overall sustainability contribution of BASF products.

In a discussion on innovative cross-sector partnerships, Keith Edwards, business manager, Specialty Plastics, BASF, will focus on the company’s collaboration with major league sports stadiums to drive sustainability at their venues through closed-loop waste management and composting systems.

BASF also presented examples of its sustainable solutions in the Innovation Expo, including live demonstrations of a complete composting system for coffee production, packaging and waste disposal using ecovio compostable plastic.

“The achievement of a sustainable future is dependent on collaboration across industries and along the entire value chain,” says Marcelo Lu, president of BASF Canada. “BASF participated in and sponsored GLOBE to share best practices and identify opportunities where we can work together to address global challenges.”

GLOBE is a biannual conference that brings together thousands of thought leaders and innovators from around the world. The theme for GLOBE 2016 was “Business Innovation for the Planet” focusing on the challenges between people, planet and profit.

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May/June 2020

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Roofing is a national publication that unravels, investigates and analyzes how to properly design, install and maintain a roof system. Through the voices of professionals in the field, Roofing’s editorial provides a unique perspective.